05/02/2025
Honoring a Tradition of Caring for Her Community: Miriam C. Katz
Miriam, Julius, Hannah, and David Katz
Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Miriam C. Katz inherited a tradition of caring for her community. Miriam recalls, “My parents were not wealthy. However, they always said that ‘it is more important to support people, even when we have very little.’” Miriam remembers how her mother used to give her a nickel every week to take to Hebrew school, and how the money that was collected was sent to children in the new State of Israel. Her parents taught her that she had an obligation, a mitzvah, to give to those in need.
Miriam’s family not only gave when they could, but they also actively participated in the Jewish community. Her maternal grandmother and mother were life members of Hadassah, and her paternal grandmother was one of the founders of AMIT (Mizrachi Women of America), and their engagement paved the way for Miriam to do so in her own life. Miriam is the fourth generation of her family giving back to the Cleveland community.
Miriam was just a young college graduate when the Six-Day War broke out. She was one of thousands of young Jewish people who went to Israel to help with the war effort and the aftermath. After four months of ulpan (Hebrew language immersion), Miriam was hired by the Israeli government to help people find jobs and applicable trainings.
Once back in Cleveland, Miriam worked for the U.S. Department of Labor. After getting married, she shifted to volunteer work. She was the president of AMIT women, started a Torah nursery in her basement, taught at Solomon Schechter (now Gross Schechter Day School), and held various other roles in the community.
One of Miriam’s proudest and most significant contributions was establishing the Holocaust Survivor Support Services program at Jewish Family Service Association. This was one of the earliest programs established in the country, which was funded by the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (the “Claims Conference”). She created Café Europa, also funded by the Claims Conference, a weekly gathering where local Cleveland Holocaust survivors can be together. Miriam also provided outreach to help survivors apply to receive reparations from the Claims Conference.
Miriam has been a member of the Lion of Judah Society since 2006, originally in Youngstown, Ohio. There were very few women, especially observant women, involved, and she saw it as a great way to meet people. She is inspired by being with her fellow Lions, learning from them, and hearing their stories. She wears her Lion Pin proudly in hopes of inspiring other women to join.
As a decades-long donor to the Federation’s Campaign for Jewish Needs, Miriam felt that it was the right time to endow her Lion of Judah gift. As one of the 88 women who have made this commitment, she finds great joy in knowing that her gift will help support her beloved Jewish Cleveland community, Israel, and other Jewish people around the world, forever.
